The Rebuild
Where things stand heading into 2026. New coach, new faces, same goal.
How We Got Here
The Raiders went 3-14 in 2025. That's their worst record since 2014. The offense ranked dead last in the NFL in both scoring and total yards. The defense wasn't much better, finishing 25th in points allowed. First-year head coach Pete Carroll was fired after a single season — making him the fourth head coach let go since 2021.
But bad seasons create opportunities. A 3-14 record earns you the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. It forces a front office to get aggressive. And it clears the way for a clean start.
That's where the Raiders are right now. This isn't a team trying to patch holes. This is a team being rebuilt from the foundation up — new coach, new scheme, new players at nearly every position group.
The New Coach
Klint Kubiak was hired in February 2026 on a five-year deal. He came from the Seattle Seahawks, where he served as offensive coordinator during their Super Bowl LX championship run. Under Kubiak, Seattle's offense ranked third in scoring (28.4 points per game), set franchise records, and helped lead Sam Darnold to one of the best seasons of his career.
Kubiak is 38 years old — the youngest head coach in the division by a wide margin. He's never been a head coach before. What he does have: an offensive system that works, a coaching pedigree (his father Gary was a Super Bowl-winning HC in Denver), and a team that's giving him the resources to build something.
GM John Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady led the coaching search. They interviewed candidates from multiple teams before landing on Kubiak. The message from the organization is clear: stability, culture, and a long-term commitment to getting this right.
2026 Free Agency Moves
The Raiders entered free agency with the most salary cap space in the league — roughly $87.8 million. They spent it. Here's what they did:
Tyler Linderbaum, C
Pro Bowl center from Baltimore. Record contract. Immediately upgrades the offensive line.
Quay Walker, ILB
3-year, $40.5M ($28M guaranteed). Led Green Bay in tackles four straight years. Coming home to Las Vegas.
Kwity Paye, EDGE
3-year, $48M ($32M guaranteed). Former Colts first-rounder. Five-year starter. Athletic and versatile.
Nakobe Dean, ILB
3-year deal. Former Eagles LB. 226 tackles, 7.5 sacks in 47 games. Effective in coverage.
Jalen Nailor, WR
3-year, $35M ($23M guaranteed). Career-high 15.3 yards per reception in 2025 with Minnesota.
Eric Stokes, CB
Career-high 16 starts in 2025. Both sides wanted to keep it going.
Malcolm Koonce, EDGE
1-year, $11M. 4.5 sacks in 2025. Depth and rotational pass rushing behind Crosby and Paye.
Matt Gay, K
Seven-year veteran. 84.3% career FG rate. Steady presence on special teams.
Taron Johnson, CB
Acquired from Buffalo Bills. Raiders sent a 6th-round pick, got Johnson and a 7th back.
Connor Heyward, FB
68 games in four years with Pittsburgh. Adds a blocking fullback to the roster.
Departed
The Raiders also lost some players. Linebacker Jamal Adams signed with the Jets. QB Kenny Pickett went to Carolina. OT Stone Forsythe left for the Panthers. Guard Dylan Parham signed with the Jets. Guard Alex Cappa was released. And QB Geno Smith was traded to the New York Jets — clearing the way for a fresh start at quarterback.
The Maxx Crosby Situation
This was the wildest storyline of the offseason. A trade was reportedly agreed upon — Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for the No. 14 overall pick in 2026 and a first-round pick in 2027. Then it fell apart. The trade was called off.
So Maxx Crosby stays in Las Vegas. That's a big deal. He's the best player on this roster and one of the most disruptive edge rushers in the NFL. Having him, Kwity Paye, and Malcolm Koonce on the same defensive front gives the Raiders a legitimate pass rush — something they desperately needed more bodies for, and now have.
The Draft — April 23, 2026
The Raiders hold 10 draft selections heading into the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, including the No. 1 overall pick and what was reported as the No. 14 pick (acquired through negotiations with Baltimore related to the Crosby situation).
The consensus pick at No. 1 is Fernando Mendoza, quarterback from Indiana and the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner. The Raiders haven't had a true franchise quarterback in a long time. Mendoza is expected to be that answer.
Kubiak's entire staff is built to develop quarterbacks. Kubiak himself, assistant HC Mike McCoy, and OC Andrew Janocko have all served as QB coaches. Veteran presence Geno Smith has been traded away, so Aidan O'Connell is the only QB on the roster right now. Mendoza would step into a situation where the coaching staff is aligned around his development.
Beyond Mendoza, the Raiders have needs at offensive line (particularly guard and right tackle), wide receiver (they still lack a true No. 1 target), and defensive line depth. With 10 picks, there's room to address multiple areas.
What's Ahead
The AFC West is brutal. The Chiefs have won three Super Bowls in six years (even if they missed the playoffs in 2025). The Broncos made the AFC Championship. The Chargers reached the postseason for a second straight year. The Raiders haven't been to the playoffs since 2021 and haven't won the division since 2002.
Nobody's expecting a Super Bowl run in year one. What they're expecting is a foundation — a coach who's here for five years, a franchise QB, a defense that can actually get to the quarterback, and an offensive line that can protect whoever's behind center.
The pieces are there. The work starts now.